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| Adam & Eve (Photo by Selbymay) |
With at least four groups of Chinese scientists (and perhaps others around the world) actively “gene editing” human embryos, the ethical debate regarding such experimentation has reignited.
Researchers in the know have warned that such editing not only affects embryos at hand, but also “could have an unpredictable effect on future generations.”
Proponents of this work point out that these effects might be beneficial.
For example, human-based gene editing (aka “germline modification”) could potentially eradicate some deadly genetic diseases.
On the other hand, it could also potentially eradicate genetic traits that future leaders deem unacceptable.
Are humans morally capable of making such profound decisions, or is this a case of biting that apple all over again?
Resources
http://www.nature.com/news/chinese-scientists-genetically-modify-human-embryos-1.17378
Copyright May 3, 2015 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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